United is Maur attractive than big PSG egos

SUCH is the depth of quality at Mauricio Pochettino’s disposal at Paris Saint-germain that his bench against Manchester City oozed as much class as his starting line-up.

Forget Lionel Messi, Neymar and Kylian Mbappe, Pochettino’s subs included Sergio Ramos,

Angel Di Maria, Marco Verratti, Mauro Icardi and Gini Wijnaldum.

With such a formidable array of talent, why would Pochettino want to leave the French capital?

Quite simply, the lure of the Premier League. More specifically, Manchester United. Pochettino is the man United want to lead them long-term, but they will have to wait until the summer for him.

Pochettino (with City manager Pep Guardiola, above) may be unsettled in Paris, but PSG’S reluctance to let him go until at least next summer will afford him the chance to enhance his CV.

The French Cup and Trophee des Champions – France’s Community Shield – are his only honours as a boss, although, with PSG 11 points clear at the top, the French league is a formality.

The Champions League remains the challenge for Pochettino, with PSG’S big-spending owners desperate to rule Europe.

But if this game was an audition for the United job, where he is expected to be managing next term, it was a testing one.

Pochettino is said to be struggling to manage fragile egos within his elite squad, in particular Neymar, whose meagre work ethic spoke volumes of his difficult relationship with his boss. And failure to conquer Europe could see Pochettino axed by PSG next summer... and free to join United.